Improvement in child s table-napkin holders and clasps



A D. Essex. Childs Table` Napkin-Holders and Clasps. No. 136,146. ;Qjj PmmedFeb.25,1873.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE DAVID ESSEX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHILDS TBLE-NAPKIN HOLDERS AND CLASPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,146, dated February Q5, 1873.

' Securing Ghildrens Table-Napkins upon the Table; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification- Figure 1 being a top view of the napkin as secured to the table; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the napkin; Fig. 3, a side View of the improved clasp 5 Fig. 4, a vertical section of a part of a tableleaf, showing the napkin attached thereto.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

The improved device for spreading the napkin A consists in a stretcherframe attached to its back and side edges.

On the two side edges the cloth is fastened and held in strips B B, which are preferably made of sheet metal, and bent over the cloth, as shown, so as to hold the edges securely; or any equivalent means of attachment may be employed. On the back edge stretcher-bars C C are employed. They are or may be `pivoted to a short' piece, a, say, of sheet metal, attached to the middle of the edge of the napkin. These bars are of sufficient length to reach t0 the side strips B B, and to lock into openings, folds, or notches in the said strips, as shown, and stretch the cloth sufficiently taut to hold it smoothly in place.

This movable hinged part of the frame is thus made to enable the napkin to be folded into a small space when it is taken from the table.

The front edge need have no border strip, but may be simply doubled over the edge ot the table, and be held there by the clasps l) D, as shown.

In connection With the above-described device for stretching the napkin, I employ an improved clasp, D, which consistsvof a piece of spring metal bent into a U-form, as represented, or of equivalent shape. This is re-enforced by another strip, b, of spring metal, laid over the back thereof, as represented, and held thereto by a screw, c, and adjusting-nuts df, by which the compressing force of the clasp may be varied; but, although I prefer this improved clasp for the purpose, a simple clasp of ordinary construction may be used with the stretching device.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the edge strips B B, pivoted stretcher-bars G C, and clasp D, for spread ing and securing a napkin to the table, sub- A stantially as and for the purpose herein speci- The above specifica-tion signed by me.

DAVID ESSEX.

Witnesses J. W. HAEDIE,

D. T. WILLIAMS. 

